Twenty Six Moments
by Kohaku no Hime
Summary: An A-Z collection of Polarshipping drabbles and ficlets. Set in varying amounts of canon and post-series.
1. Prologue

_New readers, welcome. Old readers welcome back._

_So originally this was an Author's note chapter, but then I realized FanFiction didn't allow those and I had to delete it. In place is this one itty bitty drabble that will not only restore the reviews back to their proper place but also offer some Polarshipping goodness (and foreshadowing for material to come, oho). _

_So, newcomers. Each of these chapters are in alphabetical order and are set in different points in the series; some are set during the anime, others are post series, some may reference my other fics, etc. I'll let you know in advance, ahaha._

_With that, I hope you enjoy this little collection._

* * *

He'd been planning this for ages. Like, seriously, he'd even gone so far as to consult with Anzu as to when he should tell her and how to tell her. He'd practiced and practiced and…well, practiced. Not much for it; in a way, it was just like strategizing for the next duel.

Except, of course, his duels never involved telling a very beautiful woman about his feelings for her.

And even though he'd practiced saying this countless times, none of them had been during New Year's Eve, with everyone counting down around him.

Not to mention everyone was shouting and he could barely hear himself think and_ there goes my train of thought, so much for practice, I don't remember what I'm supposed to say, crap crap crapcrapcrapCRAAAAP…_

Then he abruptly decided _s__crew this _and he threw his original plan out the window.

Spontaneity had always been his thing anyways.


	2. Apropos

_The definition of apropos, as defined by the Encarta Online Dictionary:_

_Apropos (adjective): just right_

* * *

He came from a lower-class home.

She came from an upper class household.

He had a younger sister.

She had no one.

He was raised around constant strife and arguments that shook the walls of his bedroom.

She was raised in a household that often forgot she existed.

His parents divorced when he was seven.

Her parents died in a car accident when she was ten.

His father spent most of his time drunk and he had to duck out of the apartment more than once.

Her aunt, who was a huge figure in the fashion industry, made her into a model and robbed her of her freedom.

He joined a gang when he was in middle school.

She ran away from home when she was sixteen and worked on a pleasure cruise-liner.

He learned how to beat the snot out of people.

She learned how to manipulate the people around her to her best advantage.

He made friends.

She didn't.

He abandoned his gang.

She stayed on the ship, sharpening her dueling skills.

He was there when Seto Kaiba was soundly defeated by a kid half his size.

She had just won her fifth tournament when she heard about Seto Kaiba's defeat.

He snuck aboard Pegasus' boat so he could have a chance at winning the prize money for his sister's eye operation.

She just happened to be there when he was.

They both had vastly different backgrounds, with only a few common differences.

He may be the most street smart guy around, but any issue related to a woman and he turns into a dense log and loses all his confidence.

She may be the most sassy and savvy woman to walk the planet, but put her next to him and she turns into a pile of flustered insecurity (seriously, being that adorably thick should be _outlawed_).

His open honesty charmed her.

Her refusal to take crap from anyone earned his respect.

They both had communication issues when they had conversations. SERIOUS communication issues.

They both also had a singular ability to drive the other mad.

…

When one thinks about it, it's only natural that these two should somehow end up together.


	3. Beauty

_This one is set post-canon, and you could even say that this is set in the timeline that "To Get To The Other Side" and "Welcome Back" establish._

_BTW, the full title of this chapter is, "Beauty (and the Beast)." FanFiction would not let me do the parentheses thing._

* * *

Mai blinked blearily as a resounding knock sounded from the front door of her apartment, scowling as her eyes landed on the digital clock. She groped blindly for her purple robe, managing to catch the soft material and pulling it on over her pajamas as she began her slow trek to the front door, muttering darkly all the while.

She looked through the peephole and growled when she saw who was on her doorstep. She had to have warned him a hundred times that she was not a morning person; he of all people should understand that, since he was also not exactly the greatest morning person. Mai fiddled with the lock before she opened the door and shot a violet-eyed glare at the teenager.

"You better have a really good excuse for coming here this early without calling me," she said irritably.

Jounouchi opened his mouth to say something before his eyes locked onto her face and he froze, staring at her with incredulous surprise before he put a hand to his mouth and stifled a snicker.

Mai was not in any mood to discuss why Jounouchi was here at all, and she decided that unless the boy told her why he was here (and why he was laughing at her) she would be slamming the door in his face—if not inflicting physical harm on the teenager in question. "What?" she snapped when Jounouchi continued to snicker.

"Nothin'," he said, trying not to start laughing. "Just…I'm not sure if I'm talking to a human or a monster."

Mai felt her eye twitch. "And what does that mean?"

At this point Jounouchi could not hide his amusement and he started laughing out loud, bending double in an effort to get control of himself. "Look in the mirror," he said in between laughs.

The woman's glare vanished to be replaced with puzzlement, which was promptly replaced with horror when she realized that she had forgotten to take her mascara off last night. She let out a mortified gasp of indignant embarrassment before she vanished into her bathroom, wincing when she saw the dark streaks that ran liberally down her face.

Her eye make-up had smudged as well, much to her chagrin, and her blonde hair was even more unmanageable looking than normal; it was tangled and sticking out at weird angles, some of her mascara caught in her hair.

It did not take long before all traces of the makeup were removed, but Mai could still hear Jounouchi's muffled laughter from outside her door. "Shut up!" she snapped irritably. "It's not like I wake up in pristine condition every day!"

Eyeing her hair with a resigned sigh, she pulled it into a loose bun and exited the bathroom, shooting Jounouchi a malevolent glare. "I'll kick you out of my apartment and you can forget whatever it is you're here for if you don't stop laughing."

"Don't worry, Mai! I still know you're you under all that mess, even if you look like a monster," Jounouchi replied cheerfully as Mai opened the door and made a beeline for the kitchen.

"Thanks," she said sardonically as she poured some leftover coffee into a chipped teacup and set it into the microwave. "Now what did you come here for?"

"I was going to ask if you wanted to get breakfast, but judging by your earlier appearance I'm guessing we're eating here today," said Jounouchi, already searching through Mai's cupboards for a frying pan. "Do you mind if I cook?"

She debated on being touched that he had come all this way to take her to breakfast or being annoyed that he had woken her from a sound sleep and had made fun of her. In the end, being touched at his thoughtfulness won out—but only by a margin. "Be my guest," she said in resignation, sitting down at her table.


	4. Catch

_This is set during canon, and I used both the dub and the sub version of episode 80 to write it. Enjoy!_

* * *

"Hang on!" she heard Jounouchi shout from somewhere beneath her. "I'm coming!"

Mai let out a strangled snarl as she tried to readjust her grip. _Really, Jounouchi, where exactly do you think I'm going?_

This was going to be the last time she ever dueled anyone who used ninjas. Or movie stars intent on making you their wife. If she got out of this alive, Jean Claude was a dead man.

"Let go, Mai!"

At Jounouchi's words Mai looked directly beneath her and saw him, eyeing him with a look that was both horrified and disbelieving. He was her friend and all (and she used friend in the loosest sense of the word because there were moments where he completely infuriated her), but from here he looked very small and she was very high up and…well, it was Jounouchi. There was no way she was going to let go of the flagpole. No way, not happening, no no no—

"I swear I'll catch you!"

…Well, she was losing her grip on this thing anyway. It was either break an arm from landing on Jounouchi or break every bone in her body from hitting the concrete; given her options, Jounouchi was the safest bet since he would at least absorb most of the impact from the fall.

"I'm trusting you not to drop me," she muttered, and then she let go of the flagpole.

Worst five seconds of her life, right there. She came very close to screaming as the ground rushed to meet her and the background blurred, but then a very loud "OOF!" sounded next to her ear and a pair of arms wrapped around her waist. The impact was too much for him, and the momentum already was forcing him to fall backward, but even as he fell Jounouchi twisted his body so that Mai's body was on top of his.

Her knees hit the asphalt despite Jounouchi's best effort and she winced, well aware that those were going to turn into bruises later. Definitely going to stick with the knee high boots for a while.

She lay where she had fallen for a few seconds, her heart still beating madly as she stayed still; had the adrenaline rush not been blocking her other emotions she would almost be pleased at her new location—Jounouchi was definitely something she could cuddle, if she wanted to.

That thought reminded her that the boy trapped beneath her had said nothing since they had collapsed in a heap.

"Jounouchi!" she said sharply as she sat up, her violet eyes landing on him. "Are you all right?"

The boy was out cold, most likely stunned from the impact, but beyond that he did not seem to have any more severe injuries. She felt her shoulders sag in relief as she looked at him further, making absolutely certain that he had not broken anything; he had not, which surprised her because frankly he—

"Mai! Are you hurt?"

She jumped, noticing Jean Claude hurrying toward her and she suppressed an inner groan. The taller man extended a hand to help her to her feet, but right now Mai was in no mood to take anything of his. She slapped his hand angrily and rose to her feet, seething with indignant wrath. "I'm fine, no thanks to you. You were counting on your _stunt double_ to save me!" she snarled.

"But…I really do love you," he began, but Mai glared back at him venomously, effectively silencing him.

"Oh please. You couldn't even save the woman you love when she needed you," she said with a scoff. She half turned to where Jounouchi was still sprawled on the ground and her eyes softened. "To me, this boy is the real hero," she said, a hint of pride in her tone.

Too bad he had to be unconscious right now. Maybe that was a blessing—his ego would completely balloon if he had heard her.

Jean Claude stared at her before he sank to his knees, but Mai paid no further attention to him; he was not worth it to begin with. Besides Jounouchi was starting to come around and she decided her attention was better spent focusing on him. "Are you okay?" she asked, watching him worriedly.

Jounouchi sat up, rubbing his head with a pained expression. "Feels like I got hit with a bus," he said, looking up at her with unfocused eyes.

She scoffed. "Thanks a lot," she retorted, though most of the ire was gone from her voice.

Mai debated before she held a hand out to him. Jounouchi took it, rising to his feet and wobbling unsteadily before he began to list violently to the side. She flanked him immediately, draping one of his arms over her shoulder. "Come on, dork," she said exasperatedly as she slowly lead the way forward, pointedly ignoring the movie star. "I think Yugi's over this way."

Jounouchi nodded, his eyes starting to clear but still glassy. "Hey…you still aren't gonna marry that guy, are you?" he asked as they began walking down the alley, his eyes unreadable.

Mai shook her head. "Marry? That coward? Nah," she said, noticing Yugi and the rest of his friends come into view. "My time's better spent elsewhere."

"But are you sure? Most girls wouldn't turn somethin' like that down," Jounouchi said, glancing up at her with a surprised expression.

She snorted. "I still have to kick your butt in the finals. I can't do that if I'm married."

Jounouchi mulled over that information for a moment longer before he looked up at her once again. "Mai?" he asked, catching her attention.

She looked down at him, noting the serious expression on his face. She wondered what he was going to say…could he possibly be asking her…no, don't be silly. He wouldn't ask that—he had absolutely no tact when it came to women. So then what was that look in his eyes?

"You're going to drive your husband absolutely crazy," he said at last, his serious expression melting into a sly smirk, brown eyes twinkling in mischief.

Mai stared at him with a flabbergasted expression before dropping him indignantly. He had been leaning entirely against her, so the sudden shift sent him sprawling to the ground. He let out a moan of pain and a muttered curse, but Mai huffed indignantly and turned away from him, refusing to let him see her flushed face.

That was the last time she would let him catch her again. Next time, she'd rather let all the bones in her body break.


	5. Duel

_This one is set post-canon, following the timeline established by my other oneshots ("To Get To..."—y'know what, I'm calling it TGTTOS—and "Welcome Back.")_

_Quick note: I can't write duels worth anything. I don't have the mind or the strategic instincts to duel myself out of a paper bag, let alone write about them. Therefore, forgive me if it seems rushed or if it's vague; I'm leaving it up to you to imagine the duel._

* * *

"Duel me."

Jounouchi, who had been focused on the way the autumn leaves had been tumbling around them (the wind did marvels for the park, turning it into a blaze of reds and oranges), looked back at her with a confused expression. "What?"

Mai did not flinch or hesitate, nor did she take her eyes off that one point across from them; they were on the bridge, Jounouchi with his hands in his pocket and Mai leaning out with her arms folded beneath her. "Duel me," she repeated firmly. "Right now."

Jounouchi's confused expression faded and his face took on a neutral tone; the look in his brown eyes then could give Kaiba a run for his money, she thought uneasily when she glanced at him. Her gaze went back out to the pond, her hand unconsciously moving toward her purse where her deck was tucked in its case. Lucky she had brought her coat and had chosen to wear pants for a change—the weather was pleasant, but it was also a tad too cold for her normal wardrobe.

Mai had been debating about asking this question since her return to Domino, knowing that this was a very touchy topic to discuss. It had been one of the main reasons that she had lashed out at Jounouchi, and she knew that the teen could not have forgotten about that so easily; maybe it had permanently set him against dueling her.

She had dueled him three times since they had first met. The first had not necessarily been a fair duel (she _cheated_, for crying out loud. How unfair can you get?), the second was incomplete and it was an unfair duel (the Orichalcos counted as a cheating utensil and Valon had interrupted that duel), and the third had resulted in Jounouchi's soul being taken (though she would never admit it out loud, she was moderately thankful that Raphael had defeated her later and she had lost her soul as a result—it was her way of punishing herself for what happened).

Yet…she had to ask. She had to try.

Mai wanted to see how much his skills had improved while she had been gone. She wanted to duel him with no hidden tricks up her sleeve or evil magic rocks corrupting her mind. She wanted to see if she could experience that same carefree attitude that she had seen Jounouchi experience in his duels on more than one occasion.

Most of all, Mai wanted the challenge that this would bring—the prospect of fighting on equal terms excited her and gave her a feeling she could not fully define.

She noticed that Jounouchi had not said a word while she had been musing, and she half turned to try and register an opinion from him, to see if she could guess what he was thinking—

Only to find that the other blonde was gone.

She blinked, completely flustered, and turned her violet eyed gaze in all directions in an attempt to locate him. She fumed when she could not find him; he had _run away _while she had not been looking. Mai could have sworn that he had matured, but now…seriously, what kind of guy runs after a girl asks—

"Here," said Jounouchi's slightly breathless voice as he shoved something into her arms, startling her out of her inner tirade. "Sorry I took off, but I saw those kids over there and I figured I would ask if I could borrow these—"

But Mai's focus was not on Jounouchi anymore. She had tuned him out, because she registered just what was in her arms.

A Duel Disk.

She stared up at Jounouchi, who was busy strapping his borrowed Duel Disk to his arm and sliding his deck into place. Mai had been fully preparing to explain her intentions, and he had not even hesitated; Jounouchi did not question her intentions or ask for her reasoning. He simply went to accommodate her.

…_Dang it all, Jounouchi, quit doing that._

She was not even aware that she had slid her deck into the Duel Disk until she activated it and found it there, and she looked across at Jounouchi. A careless and cocky grin had lit his face and reached into his eyes, and the look was contagious because she felt a smirk of her own dance onto her face.

"I gotta tell ya, Mai. I've been improving while you were gone. Don't start crying when I thoroughly beat ya," he said cheerfully, the last part of his sentence coming out as more of a jest than anything else.

"Really? Funny, I was about to tell you the same thing. What do you think I've been doing all this time?" she retorted, placing one of her hands on her hips.

The two boys Jounouchi had borrowed the Duel Disks from were gaping in awe because they recognized just who was dueling, but their excited comments were drowned out. Right now, there was only Mai and Jounouchi.

"Duel start!" they both announced at the same time.

Mai drew her hand, inwardly pumping a fist in the air when she saw her hand but otherwise giving no indication of what she had drawn. Perfect—she had her Harpy Lady, the Harpy Feather Duster, and the Mirror Wall all in one hand. She set Harpy Lady in Attack Mode and placed the trap card down before she ended her turn.

Jounouchi had drawn now, and she could see that he too had gained an excellent hand; the way his eyes lit up and the way his goofy grin stretched out was a dead give-away. "Nice poker face, Jounouchi," she called sarcastically.

The boy scowled at her, sticking his tongue petulantly at her. "Yeah yeah," he muttered, summoning the Warrior of Light in Defense Mode and placing two cards face down. "Your move," he called, and she could hear him challenge her, daring her to attack.

_Nice try. I'm not that gullible._

As the duel progressed, Mai could feel an elated feeling rush through her. All of her skills were finally being challenged, and as she countered his attacks and as he deflected hers she could feel her adrenaline honestly begin to climb. She could tell that Jounouchi felt the same way (his poker face really did _suck)_, but this was different for her—she had never once felt like this in a duel.

The duel concluded with an explosive draw, the small crowd startled at how abruptly it had ended (honestly, where did these people come from?), but she hardly cared about the bystanders.

_This_ was what she had been looking for. This completely indescribable feeling that swelled her chest and made her tingle all over…that was what she had been so desperately looking for all this time, ever since the disaster at Battle City.

Her eyes went to Jounouchi's, and she was startled to notice the pleased and knowing look in the brown orbs. That was why he had not questioned her—Jounouchi had known just what Mai was looking for, and probably had from the beginning of the whole DOOM fiasco.

And Jounouchi had given it to her.


	6. Elocution

_Okay, so you remember what I said about updates in groups at the very beginning?_

_...I lied. I can't do it. Look for single, sporadic updates. Maybe I can get a couple of groups in if I try, but I'm actually supposed to be working on my paper(s) right now, LOL._

_Anyway, the subject of this one is set as a sort of "in general" shot that seems to encompass everything...maybe that will make more sense when you read the shot._

* * *

Jounouchi has never had a speech impediment, and in fact is quite able to express his emotions and his thoughts.

Whenever Yugi is having a conversation with him Jounouchi can easily express his thoughts, especially if it pertains to dueling. Yugi also offers great advice that he has used more than once.

Whenever Kaiba snaps out something nasty or insulting, Jounouchi can usually counter it with a rapid-fire retort (that, admittedly, is not always thought out and this often opens him up to more insults).

Honda is a given. He's someone Jounouchi can bounce his thoughts off of when he feels that Yugi would not be able to understand them.

Heck, even Anzu is someone he can approach and talk to, albeit cautiously—Anzu's temper is just as legendary as his own, and certain issues are prone to set her off.

Whenever he needs to be serious, his words match his mood and everyone around him suddenly regards him with more caution than normal; let's face it, Jounouchi is very rarely serious about anything, so when he is everyone know that he means business and to take his words to heart. Whenever he's happy, his voice and words take on that careless and cheerful quality that makes him so easy to talk to.

It does not matter who it is. Jounouchi can approach any stranger or anyone he knows with confidence (well, except for Yami Marik—but honestly, how is _anyone_ supposed to hold a conversation with that psycho artichoke head?) and can talk to them without the slightest hitch in his voice; true, he gets flustered whenever someone brings the occult into the equation, but he is never without words.

He has never had any elocution issues before Duelist Kingdom or in his life at all, so why is it that whenever Mai starts talking (let alone starts looking at him) he finds that his words fly right out the window and he cannot talk to her without ending up as a flustered pile of goo?


	7. Friend

_*rubs hands together gleefully* This chapter is one of the main reasons I wanted to write this thing. I've been dying for ages to write something like this and I finally got the excuse to :D_

__

_Set post-series and it follows the timeline established by TGTTOS and "Welcome Back."_

* * *

Jounouchi groaned as the sound of the phone cut through the really nice dream he was having, reaching for it blindly as he woke up and hoping his dad had not heard it; his father had mellowed out over the years, but that did not mean that he was going to win any "Mister Nice Guy" awards. He glanced at the clock with a scowl, noting the time—he did not care if it was the King of Games himself, whoever was on the phone was a dead man walking.

He answered it grumpily with a stifled yawn and an annoyed, "What?"

"_…Jounouchi?_"

The voice on the other end was small and scared sounding, but it was more than enough to wake him up entirely and he inwardly cursed at the way he had answered the phone. "Mai? What's wrong?" he asked, noting the tension he could practically feel through the phone. "You okay?"

There was a brief amount of hesitation. "_…It's…it's nothing. I'm sorry I woke you up," _she said at last brusquely, causing Jounouchi's eyebrows to furrow in consternation. "_I'll see you later."_

Before he could protest there was a click on the other end of the line and Jounouchi was left staring at his cell phone.

* * *

Mai set her cell phone down shakily, her hands trembling as she lifted them up from the device.

She had honestly thought that the nightmares had gone away when she had returned to Domino; she had not gotten one since she had met with Vivian and she had not experienced them since she had seen Jounouchi. She had dared to hope that they were gone for good.

Clearly not, she thought to herself with a scowl as she went into the kitchen to brew herself some of the tea Vivian had given to her (the Chinese woman was quite the expert on the beverage, and this particular tea acted as a relaxant to her severely frayed nerves). She should have known that the nightmares would not subside just like that.

Calling Jounouchi had been a bad idea. What was he supposed to do for her? He couldn't stop the nightmares from happening, and there was no way she was going to inflict her problems on him to deal with.

But this nightmare had involved _him_. None of the nightmares she ever had involved directly caused harm to Jounouchi, and in this dream…she shuddered, blocking out the mental images that were already beginning to resurface. In this dream, Jounouchi had been…he had been…oh, how silly could she be? Jounouchi was not dead and would not be for (hopefully) a while—her call to him had confirmed that.

So why was it that, ten minutes later, her hands were still trembling and she could still feel tear tracks on her face?

A knock on her door fifteen minutes later completely startled her out of her thoughts before she grimaced. She knew that was a neighbor, probably here to see what she had been screaming about; Mai's nightmares often resulted in her shrieking and sobbing and she was aware that most people became annoyed by it.

What she was not expecting when she opened the door was Jounouchi standing there, brown eyes concerned as he gasped for breath; he had obviously run here, judging by that flush on his face.

"Jounouchi, what…what are you doing here?" she asked, completely flustered as he slipped by her and into the apartment. She shut the door behind him and looked at him incredulously. "Have you even looked at the clock?"

"I have. You can't call me at one in the mornin' and tell me five seconds later that there's nothing wrong," he said bluntly, fixing her with a stern glare. "And you've been crying too, don't tell me you haven't," he continued firmly, his eyes never leaving hers. "You can't tell me that you're perfectly fine."

Mai stared at him wordlessly, still thrown off by the fact that he had shown up at her doorstep.

"What kind of friend would I be if I didn't come to see what was wrong?" his voice gentle and his eyes softening as he watched her. "All you have to do is call me. I don't care how early it is or where you are…heck, you don't even have to tell me what's wrong. I'll be there as fast as I can. That's what friends do—we back each other up."

Mai felt something hot sting her eyes and she looked away then, rubbing at them. She was mortified to discover that she was crying again, and hastily blinked the tears back before Jounouchi saw them. "I'm making tea and I'm also planning on watching a movie in a little bit," she said thickly, already returning to the kitchen. "I can't sleep."

Jounouchi understood the silent invitation that she was offering and grinned. "I can't sleep either, not to mention that I am hungry. I think I'll stick around," he stated off-handedly.

"You're always hungry," she said exasperatedly, inwardly relieved he was staying. The nightmare was already fading away while he was here, and she could barely remember anything of it now. "Any movie preferences?"

Jounouchi made a face. "Nothin' with Magnum or the occult," he said. "I can handle a lot of things, but not those."

"You really think I would keep any Jean Claude Magnum movies after what happened in Battle City?" she asked, affronted. "In case you forgot, he kidnapped me and nearly killed me by accident."

"And he indirectly gave me a concussion," Jounouchi muttered, rubbing his head.

Mai waited until his attention went to the movie shelf before her eyes softened and she allowed herself a fond smile. Jounouchi might be a bit of an idiot, but when it mattered he was almost immediately there to support those who needed him, and that was why Mai still saw him as the first friend she had ever made.

…On another note, Mai would never admit aloud that she found Jounouchi to be one very comfortable pillow when she finally dozed off halfway through the movie. That would boost his ego to insufferable heights.


	8. Gravitation

__

_Argh. I had so many bunnies for this one, but then I settled on the one mentioned below on a sudden whim and here's what I got. It's unfortunately short, but that's all that my bunnies would work with. I have no idea why, because I'd actually planned out the original idea before this one happened. I blame the papers I have to write._

_The chapter in **general **is a **gift** for **Gweniveve** Skyesfor her **gladly given** and **grand** reviews, as well as her birthday. Have a **great** and **glamorous **birthday, **Gwen!**_

_(...Yes, it's a 'G' overkill. It's a sample of how many ideas for 'G' were running around in my head.)_

__

_

* * *

_

It's simple to explain, really.

When Jounouchi sees Mai, it's as if someone's turned on a really powerful magnet and he ends up next to her side in the end; he could be across the street and he would somehow end up beside her within a few seconds, leaving people to question just how he got over there without them noticing. It does not matter where Mai is—some inner instinct seems to tell him just where he needs to look to see Mai.

When Mai hears Jounouchi's voice, it's like someone's put her on autopilot and she can't help but follow the sound until she finds the source. She also can't help but at least stay in the same room, just so she can listen to him chatting gaily with his friends; Mai's never been one for the whole friend thing, but when he finally notices her and calls for her to join in, Mai can't help but obey because he's there.

Even if they aren't trying to find one another, they simply cannot ignore that subtle and oddly irritating feeling until they see each other again. It's a gravitational pull, one they could no more ignore than they could stop breathing.

Not that it bothers them. They've gotten used to it by now.

* * *

_The definition of "gravitation" as defined by the Encarta English Dictionary: "a gradual and steady movement toward somebody or something, as if drawn by some force or attraction."_


	9. High Five

_This one is another one I've been dying to get to write; I've had a couple of Polarshipping ideas bouncing around for a while now, and this was one of them. I'm pleased I got to this letter._

_Set during Duelist Kingdom and leave reviews on the way out!_

* * *

"Mai, these chips are yours."

Mai hesitated briefly, ignoring Yugi's inquiry as to why she didn't take the star chips. She looked back up at the group and said firmly, "I can't accept those star chips. I'm going to leave the island."

Jounouchi felt his eye twitch. Say what? She could not be…oh yes she was. What was it about women and their pride? Good grief! He'd bumped into girls who weren't as independent and stubborn as Mai was; why couldn't girls come with some kind of manual so as to be understood better? Even Shizuka had her moments when she completely baffled him, but never had his sister infuriated him like Mai was at this moment.

What part of, "Yugi risked his life to get those star chips back for you," was she not getting? It wasn't the fact that Yugi had nearly been severely burned that was making him angry (well, okay, maybe it was part of it; she could show a little more gratitude to the guy who had gotten her star chips back), it was the fact that she was still stubbornly refusing to acknowledge them in helping her—despite the fact he was certain that they had been established as friends. It was okay to take them back! She was their friend!

Yugi did not even waver at Mai's comment, continuing to hold the star chips out to her. Anzu herself ventured a timid guess as to Mai's actions, but Jounouchi was not really listening to that—he'd had it. He would make her take those star chips back! "Oh for cryin' out loud!" he snapped exasperatedly, causing everyone but Yugi to look at him in surprise. "All this talk's going on, but nothing's getting done."

Ignoring the surprised stares from Honda, Anzu, and Ryou, Jounouchi marched forward purposefully and came alongside Yugi, calmly taking the star chips from the shorter teenager's hand. "If you aren't taking them, I'm going to use them," he announced, looking at Mai with a grin before he started laughing.

Yugi seemed to be baffled as to what Jounouchi was trying to accomplish, but Mai's calm mask cracked and a scowl appeared on her face. "Wait half a minute, here! There's no way I'm letting you do that!"

Jounouchi shrugged dismissively. "You said you don't want them. I could use them better than you could."

Mai fumed for one more second before she shot forward, but Jounouchi was expecting that and easily lifted the star chips out of her range; she may be older than he was, but he had her in height even with her heels on. "Give them back!" she snarled, reaching for them and even trying to get on her tiptoes.

Jounouchi didn't even need to look at Yugi to see the suddenly knowing look on the other teen's face. Instead, he grinned before high fiving the star chips into her hand. "Take 'em, then."

Mai blinked in surprise, pulling her hand back down to stare at where the stars rested. She looked back at Jounouchi for an explanation, puzzled.

"If you can't accept those as a matter of pride, toss 'em in the ocean for all I care. That's your choice. But if I were you, I wouldn't throw those star chips—or your dreams—away," Jounouchi said simply, watching her intently for a reaction.

The blonde woman didn't seem to know quite what to do with them, looking at both Jounouchi and Yugi wordlessly with an unreadable expression. Jounouchi grinned at her encouragingly before yawning widely. Now it was an awkward silence and he was sleepy anyway—whatever that dream had been earlier was draining him of valuable energy and all he wanted to do was sleep.

"I'm going to bed," he announced abruptly, stretching and walking past Yugi and Anzu. "See ya, Mai!"

If he had turned around, he would have seen Mai's eyes soften as she looked back at him. He may not have noticed it though—it was gone the moment she looked at Yugi, replaced by grim determination.

He did know, however, that he would see her at the Duelist Kingdom finals. He had known that the moment his hand had touched hers.


	10. Ice

_This one is set post series and follows the timeline that I've established with the other oneshots in here and in TGTTOS and "Welcome Back."_

_On another note, my papers are all nearly written, which means that I'll be able to start focusing a little more on FanFiction and we'll be seeing updates a little more frequently :D_

* * *

"OW!"

Jounouchi looked down at the woman in his arms, rolling his eyes. "Mai, I didn't even touch your ankle," he said as he carefully navigated up the stairs. Fifteen minutes of walking back from the store had made him impervious to mostly anything Mai said at this point, since she tended to say "Ow!" the moment she saw a wall coming.

Mai clung to his neck, returning his annoyed look with a scowl. "It wasn't my ankle, you just drove my elbow into the wall," she retorted. "Don't you know how to carry a woman up the stairs?"

"Don't you know how to walk in high heels?"

"It got caught in a crack. It wasn't my fault that it took my shoe and that I tripped."

"Yeah yeah…'the sun was in my eyes, I tripped over a rock'…those are excuses. Either way, it's not my fault you got a twisted ankle."

"I'd love to see you walk in my shoes, Jounouchi."

"I'd like it better if you weren't so heavy!"

"…Jounouchi, did you just call me fat?"

"No. I just said that you're heavy."

"That's calling me fat."

"No it's not!"

"Yes it is."

"No!"

"Yes."

"No."

"No."

"Yes…wait. _Hey._"

Mai rolled her eyes. "Just don't drop me please," she said, noting with relief that they were almost back to her apartment.

Jounouchi muttered darkly under his breath as the woman reached into her purse and pulled out the key to unlock the door (she was in a better position to unlock it than he was), slipping inside and being extra cautious not to bump her in the slightest before heading to the sofa and carefully lowering her onto it. "I'll go get an ice pack," he announced, already heading for the kitchen.

The blonde woman sighed as she eyed her boot, glaring at it with venom in her eyes. "This is your fault," she muttered. "If you hadn't gotten caught I wouldn't have twisted my ankle."

Her boot obviously said nothing, but Mai still got the impression that it was laughing at her.

Jounouchi returned a few minutes later, holding a bag of frozen peas. "You don't have any ice cubes," he said as he watched Mai gingerly slip her boot off her foot. "Will this work?"

"Of course I have ice," she snapped between gritted teeth, gingerly stretching out on the sofa to take the pressure off her ankle. "It's in the ice cube tray on the top rack."

Jounouchi blinked. "It is? …Oops."

Mai rolled her eyes once again, leaning over to try and reach a couch pillow that lay on the floor without jarring her ankle. She let out a strangled yelp as her injured foot brushed the side of the sofa and stopped moving, waiting for the white hot searing pain to ebb.

A shadow passed over her and she looked up in time to spot Jounouchi picking up the sofa pillow. He placed the bag of peas on the pillow as he returned to Mai's side, moving to the foot of the sofa. The blonde bent down, gently lifting her swollen ankle to set it with equal care on the impromptu ice pack and pillow (not noticing Mai begin to blush when he took hold of her leg).

"There ya go," he said, nodding in approval of his work. "That'll work out just fine. Do you want me to make dinner for you before I head home?"

Mai sincerely hoped the flush was off her face when Jounouchi turned to face her. "Actually, I think I'm going to call out for a pizza. I'm not in the mood to clean up a mess later," she said simply, pleased that the bag of peas was doing its job (and in fact doing better than a typical ice pack could for her ankle).

"You actually eat pizza? Aren't you worried about the carbs or something?"

"…Are you calling me fat again, Jounouchi?"


	11. Jester

_YAY! My papers are finished and I'm free! This means I put up a couple letters (and you have to review both of them, or I won't put up any more multiple updates)._

_This one is set post series and follows the timeline established by every other post-series shot so far._

* * *

Jounouchi was still not entirely sure how he had gotten into this situation, but he really really _really_ did not like it in the slightest.

The blonde balanced precariously on the roller blades, trying very hard to figure out why he had even gotten them on in the first place; the skate was surprisingly comfortable, but the fact that he was balancing on nothing more than wheels made him distinctly uncomfortable. He wobbled uncertainly before grabbing the support rail on the side of the rink—he had fallen twice now and both times _hurt_.

"Jounouchi, really now. I thought you said you could do anything," Mai said airily as she skated past him, completely at ease in the rink.

"Girls are better at skating than guys," he retorted, hesitantly releasing the bar and uneasily putting his foot forward. The movement nearly sent him face first into the floor, but at the last second he managed to regain his balance, inwardly sighing with relief. He pointedly ignored the laughs of the people skating around him—they had been like him once, and he wouldn't make fun of them had he seen them then!

…Actually, he would. But it was the thought that counted, right?

"What are you, a penguin trying to fly?" said the woman in that irritatingly cheerful tone as she skated around him. "It isn't that hard, you know."

"It isn't that hard my _foot_," Jounouchi grumbled, yelping as he turned his foot and nearly hit the ground again. "I never skated before, all right? In case you haven't noticed, I've been a little too busy to learn!"

"I haven't either. This is my first time on roller blades," said Mai thoughtfully, lazily continuing to circle him. "I guess we both duel too much, huh?" she continued with a teasing smile. A moment later, the smile faded and she eyed him contemplatively with her amethyst eyes.

"Now what?" he snapped, violently waving his arms in an attempt to keep his balance. This time he was not so lucky and he ended up hitting the floor—again. Jounouchi looked up as Mai skated in front of him, suppressing a fit of the giggles.

"It's like having my own court jester," she said, her eyes twinkling in merriment. "Who needs television when I can stick you on roller blades and watch the fun? All I need is the popcorn—we already have the audience."

"Ha ha ha. You're hilarious. Someone award you the Comedian of the Year award, Your Highness," Jounouchi growled, trying to get on his feet again and managing to get to his knees; the real trick here was to get on his feet without losing his balance.

"See? You're the perfect jester—you've already made a joke."

"Shut up! I need to focus and get on my feet, that's all!" he retorted, ignoring the laughter around him as he tried to gain his feet. He was totally out of his element here.

A hand appeared in his vision and Jounouchi looked up at Mai in surprise. "At the rate you're going," she said in exasperated amusement, "we'll never make a full lap around the ring."

Jounouchi sighed as he took her hand, and he was preparing to get up again when suddenly he grinned wickedly:he had just realized a way of gaining his revenge. "Well then why don't you join me?" he said as he yanked on her hand, tugging her down.

Mai may have been better at skating, but her ability to balance was no match for Jounouchi's iron grip. With a shrill squeal of alarm Mai fell forward, throwing her free arm out to cushion her fall. "_Jounouchi!"_

The other blonde maneuvered her so that she landed on him, but unfortunately Jounouchi had not taken into consideration that perhaps Mai crashing into him would likely knock him flat, and he ended up sprawled on the ground of the roller rink. The woman ended up on top of him, and when the spots had cleared from Jounouchi's vision he was greeted by Mai's eyes.

"This is the second time you've squashed me," he said at last, trying very hard not to blush because _ohmigod she's right there_.

Mai looked away embarrassedly as well, a flustered expression on her face. "You deserve it this time," she snapped, though she did nothing to move. "I hope you broke something, you jerk."

There was laughter echoing around them, he noticed then with surprise. They must have seen what had happened and that was why they were laughing. He couldn't help but laugh as well, causing Mai to look at him in confusion. "What's so funny?" she asked as she moved off him and sat down, completely baffled.

Jounouchi laughed for a few seconds longer before grinning up at her. "Who's the court jester now?"


	12. Kiss

_This one is set during Battle City, and don't forget to leave reviews on the way out!_

* * *

When he had been younger, his mom had always read a bedtime story to Shizuka.

Now granted, Jounouchi never really followed along with those sort of things. He was a boy, and boys didn't read about fairy princesses and finding true love; they read about dragons and blowing things up, if they read at all. Since Shizuka was already having problems with her vision at that point, their mother would read the story aloud and Jounouchi would sit in with his sister, falling asleep almost immediately.

When his parents began their arguing and the whispers of divorce hung in the air, this task fell to Jounouchi.

He would never admit it to anyone but his sister, but some of those stories were not half bad to read (though most of them made him want to gag, there were a couple that he could get absorbed into). In particular, though, one story stood out the most in his memory. He could not recall the exact name, but he did remember what it was about: a princess was cursed by an evil sorcerer and fell into a deep slumber, and only the kiss of her handsome prince could awaken her.

At the time, Jounouchi had made fun of it when his sister was not in his immediate hearing. What kind of sorcerer would put a princess into an enchanted sleep? Why not just kill her and be done with it? Putting her to sleep just gave the prince the chance to wake her up again. That part of the story had never made sense to him.

But now, looking down at Mai's unmoving body in the bed, he remembered the full details of the fairy tale and he was grateful that Yami Marik had not finished her off. He still had a chance to rescue her.

Jounouchi knew it was a silly thing to think about, but some small part of him was wondering if maybe a kiss really would wake her up.


	13. Lacrimosa

"_Lacrimosa_"_ in Latin means, "to weep." I figured that this was an appropriate title :D_

_This one is set during DOOM at the end of episode 173. Don't forget to leave reviews on the way out!_

* * *

Mai was an idiot.

She had done stupid things before, things that made her wince and inwardly cringe. But each of those cases were always easily remedied: an apology was given, sometimes paying for damages (car accidents happened), and usually Mai would be given a chance to fix what happened.

Not this time.

"No." Her voice sounded so small and pitiful as she stared at him, horror racing through her and chilling her blood.

The boy standing across from her had saved her, offered her advice, had tried to protect her…and now he was going to rewarded for his effort by losing his soul. _Why didn't I see that sooner? Why didn't I…no, Jounouchi, NO!_

Jounouchi grinned back at her tiredly from where he stood, trembling because the effort of standing was obviously costing him valuable energy. "Congratulations, Mai. You win. I can't…I…" he said, and she heard the undercurrent of the apology he was obviously trying to convey as his knees buckled.

Mai was not aware that she had run until her arms caught the other blonde and she was struggling to hold him up. "No! Jounouchi!" she said, fear and panic lacing her voice. "I didn't attack you! You can still win!"

"Mai…I'm sorry, but I can't see you. I don't have anything left."

Of course he didn't! He had just dueled Valon, and that duel alone had exhausted him! She had simply come in to pick him off! It hadn't occurred to her that he would not be able to duel! _God, I'm an idiot! _

She saw the Orichalcos closing in and she clung to him all the tighter. "I won't let it take you!" she snapped, more out of fright than anger. No, it couldn't have him, he hadn't lost! If it tried to take him, it was going to have to take her too!

"I'm…sorry…I can't do anything for you in the end," said Jounouchi weakly, brown eyes already glazing. "But if one of us had to lose their souls—I'm glad it was me."

"Jounouchi…" _No…no…no, I need to be the one to lose, not you! I need to be punished, not you!_

"This was one of the best duels I've ever had…thank you."

_Don't thank me! I don't want to win like this!_

Mai stubbornly clung to him even as the Orichalcos inched closer, the stone around her neck crackling and her body beginning to hurt as the magic pulsed within her; the stone was not pleased that she was remaining this close and it was beginning to lash out at her.

Jounouchi seemed to have guessed that Mai was not going to move. His body trembled one last time before he shoved her away from him and out of the Seal, his hand catching her necklace and yanking the stone off of her neck. It shone brightly for a moment before landing on the ground outside the circle.

Time seemed to freeze for just one minute as she stared at him and he stared at her, her eyes already stinging with tears threatening to fall and her vision blurring wildly. _Jounouchi…please…Jounouchi, don't go…don't—_

Mai screamed.

And then time was moving forward and the Seal disappeared, Jounouchi's soulless body dropping and nearly hitting the ground. Mai lunged, catching him in midfall and cradling Jounouchi against her. Almost immediately, Mai began to cry. "I'm an idiot," she whimpered. "I knew that this wouldn't change anything, so why did I…why did I…what good does it do if I have to sacrifice you?"

It didn't matter how much she cried. Jounouchi would not wake up again; his soul was gone, probably for good. That didn't stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks and it certainly did not make her feel any better as she sat on the cold ground and held Jounouchi in her arms.

God, she really was an idiot.


	14. Mail

_Argh. I really do hate my computer._

_I've gotten another window of opportunity to update again, so I'm going to go ahead and stick this up while I still can access my account (it's bizarre, because one minute I can access my account and the site and the next my computer says, "Mkay, I don't like you so you can't get on here. KTHXBAI.")_

_This one is set in canon verse, between the Grand Prix arc-which I sincerely like to pretend never happened-and the Ancient Egypt Arc. Continue to leave reviews here, as they inspire me to keep updating!_

* * *

He always checks his mail, every day, same time, rain or shine.

It's become rather routine since they got back from the Grand Prix Tournament, actually. At precisely two o'clock every afternoon Jounouchi walks out his front door and reaches for the mail tray to pull out the bundle of letters and bills. He shuffles through them with a practiced flick of his wrist, much like he would shuffling his deck.

His eyes are intent on the letters, the expression varying from annoyance (_yet another highly believable chain letter. Shall I pass it on?)_ to a grimace (_Dangit, more bills) _to interest (_well, yeah, I guess I need to do shopping)_. Yet every day, his shoulders seem to slump dejectedly and he steps back into the apartment, dumping the mail carelessly on the table nearest the door for his father to—hopefully—take look at.

Honda's seen Jounouchi do it all the time (he has on more than one occasion stopped at his friend's apartment and has been held up before because of the mail check) and he knows exactly what Jounouchi's looking for every day. He knows all too well that Jounouchi gave his address to a certain woman on the ride back from Alcatraz—he was standing right there next to them. He's both annoyed and worried, because while he may not wholly approve of Mai he knows that not hearing anything has Jounouchi fearing the worst; Honda's worried mostly because he has no idea what the letter may contain should it ever come.

Yugi and Anzu, though they haven't seen him checking his mail as frequently as Honda has, offer slight comfort whenever the sticky topic of Mai comes up in their group; Anzu assures Jounouchi that Mai will eventually contact him, and Yugi reminds him that Mai's a strong woman and won't let her situation take the best of her again. It isn't much, but it's enough to bolster Jounouchi and keep him from overly worrying.

When Jounouchi is not checking his mail he's checking his email every hour or so (playing a few local tournaments with his insane luck has earned him a little spare cash, enough to purchase a laptop; his job at school helps fund the internet access it needs) in hopes that maybe she'll send him something. He surfs the web in hopes of hearing about her in a tournament somewhere—he highly doubts she's stopped dueling.

He isn't really sure why he keeps checking the mail so obsessively, though his friends seem know perfectly well why; he has more than once wished to be let in on their little secret. He knows Mai well enough, though, and he knows that she won't send him anything or let him find her until she's ready; she's got a lot of issues to sort through and he knows that as well, which means he may very well not hear from her again.

And yet every day at two he's out the front door to collect mail in hopes of finding a letter he knows isn't there.


	15. Nosy

_I hate my bunnies._

_They wouldn't let me alone on this one and refused to listen to any other suggestions I offered, so we have this one instead. I won't lie, I have mixed feelings on this chapter; I'll probably come back and tweak it a bit, but for now...ehhhhhh._

_Post series following the timeline that's been established, and leave reviews on the way out!_

* * *

Mai liked Vivian. She did, really.

Make no mistake—at a time when Mai needed someone to pick her up and keep her afloat with pointless banter the Chinese woman had filled that role perfectly, not to mention that when called upon could become quite serious and mature. Vivian had that odd personality of knowing just when she needed to be serious and when she needed to be her bubbly self.

But there were days when Mai contemplated on murder and honestly wondered just why on earth she had chosen Vivian of all people as a friend.

Such as right now.

_"So how's he doing? He ask you out yet? Oh tell me he did!"_

She felt her eye twitch as the other woman's voice over the phone let out a squeal. Somehow, the topic of conversation had shifted from Mai settling into Domino to how Jounouchi was doing—and, subsequently, Mai's love life. "Vivian, what are you? A private eye? I don't know what sappy chick flick you just got done watching, but he hasn't said anything to me."

_"Oh really? Has he asked you out on a date?" _Vivian asked, her voice sly. "_Or better yet, have you ever blushed in his presence?"_

"No." Mai winced the moment the word flew from her mouth. Too hasty.

Vivian giggled. _"Mai, that's your 'I'm lying and hoping you don't notice' tone. Spill."_

"Fine. We went to a roller skating rink the other day, but that was because he told me he could do anything I challenged him at and I told him to roller blade."

_"And has he made you meals?"_

"Well, yeah, but—"

"_Has he come to see you?"_

"Duh, he knows where I live—"

"_He knows your address?"_

"Because I know his and it's only fair that—"

"_So what you're saying is that Jounouchi took you out—and probably has more than once, but I'm guessing you won't tell me that—he's made you meals, he's constantly with you, and he knows where you live…that certainly sounds like he's more than a friend, doesn't it?"_

She hesitated for a split second.

Vivian guffawed. "_HA! I KNEW IT!" _she cried cheerfully, nearly deafening Mai. "_He's more than an acquaintance! Ha ha!"_

Mai frowned, confused by her friend's question (and rather annoyed that Vivian had practically _screamed_ in her ear). "Isn't that what friends are supposed to do, according to the Gospel of Vivian and Yugi's Friends?"

"_Yes! Not to mention that—wait wait wait _wait_. Are you telling me that you _seriously_ believe he's just a friend and nothing more?"_

"Yeah…so?"

There was a pause before Vivian let out a frustrated roar into the phone (deafening her again). "_Mai, for the love of—oh come on, how can you not see it? That boy's absolutely crazy for you!"_

"How do you know?" asked Mai with surprise.

"_DUH. I was at the Grand Prix tournament with him! I could see it in his eyes that he had another woman on the brain—" _(and here Mai bristled indignantly. That probably meant Vivian had been thinking about flirting with him and it annoyed her for some unnamed reason) "—_not to mention I overheard him talking about you with that brown haired guy…Honjou…? No, wait, Honda. That was his name. Anyway, I heard him. Mai, he likes you and there's more to it than just plain old friendship," _said Vivian in exasperation.

The blonde woman's eyes narrowed slightly, grateful that the Chinese woman was not there to see her blush. "Viv, if he cared that way he would have said so by now, don't you think?"

There was a very long pause this time, and Mai half wondered if she had lost the connection. At last, however, Vivian said quietly, "_Maybe he's waiting for you to be ready for him to admit it."_

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mai asked with half irritation and half bafflement, thrown by the sudden change in the other woman's tone. "'Ready for him?' Explain, maybe?"

"_Hm? Oh, sorry. I was talking out loud…anyway, Mai, before I forget to ask. Have you had any nightmares while you've been over there? And don't lie to me—I know when you're lying."_

Mai had been about to make Vivian elaborate on her comment but had stiffened at the abrupt change in conversation topics, her breath coming in sharply.

"_Don't worry. I figured as much; watch your mail for a bit. You should have a package of tea coming in from me," _came Vivian's reply cheerfully while Mai struggled to put together a reply.

"…What are you, a mind reader?" she said, knowing that Vivian understood the unspoken "thank you" in that sentence.

"_Nope. Just a nosy gossip, dear."_

There was a murmur over the phone, and Vivian replied back in Chinese; Mai wagered a guess in assuming she was talking to her parents or to her sister. Sure enough, Vivian said a few minutes later, "_Mei Ling's telling me that it's time to go to my next tournament. She's been with me for the past couple of tournaments—I have to admit she's better at watching the clock than I am."_

"Your sister has a good head on her shoulders. You tell her that she's to keep you from flirting with the opponents," Mai said, amused.

There was an affronted gasp. "_Mai, how dare you suggest I would flirt with just any opponent! I only flirt with those that I feel are deserving of my attention!"_

"In other words, any cute or gorgeous guy who smiles at you."

_"What can I say?" _replied Vivian airily. "_When you got it, you got it. Anyway, dear, I have to go. Let me know when Jounouchi finally confesses to you—I want first dibs on the news!"_

Mai scowled as Vivian hung up, setting the phone down back in its cradle. "Nosy woman," she muttered, ignoring the heat on her cheeks. "Like I'd tell her anything?"

She was in the kitchen before she realized the full implication of her words and she growled in frustration. Great, now she was honestly thinking about Jounouchi and whether or not he cared about her like that. She deliberately shoved the thought away as she made herself some hot cocoa. She did not (repeat: _did not)_ have feelings for him, and the same probably went for Jounouchi.

...Why was she having such a hard time believing that?


	16. Ouch

_This one is set during the Battle City arc (episode 90, if you want to be precise), and I apologize for not updating on Saturday like I promised. Too many things happened at once and I had no time to really sit down and update._

* * *

Jounouchi heaved a sigh of relief as he strode down the hall, his heart still pounding in his ears. That had been way too close for comfort. Lord knew that things could have gotten awkward if he had continued on in that train of thought. Girls tended to read into things, he had learned over the years; he didn't want to lead Mai on or to give her the wrong idea. He was actually quite pleased that he had managed to dodge that bullet.

Of course, he really did like her and…well, okay, it could be termed as a small crush. But if Mai was not interested in him in that manner he really did not want to ruin their friendship. There would be no doubt that it would all fall apart should he press her like that and—

—_OHMIGODWHO'SGOTMYEAR!_

Jounouchi yelped in pain as something yanked his head back and he was greeted by a pair of indignant blue eyes. He groaned both in pain and in exasperation: Anzu had him. Lord help him, now what had he done to tick her off?

"Anzu, leggo of me!" he yelled, experimentally tugging on it to try and free himself from her grasp. All this served to do was cause her grip to tighten and he let out a strangled whine.

The pressure was released on his ear and he sagged in relief, but not before Anzu scowled at him and folded her arms; Jounouchi tensed and prepared himself to back away if she tried to grab his ear again. She looked as if she wanted to say a million things to him, and he dreaded it because he knew that Anzu could whip up a speech in no time at all (she was a good friend, don't get him wrong. She did tend to lecture a bit though when riled).

But to his immeasurable surprise Anzu glared up at him and merely snapped, "You have no idea of how a woman's mind really works, do you? She was trying to be your friend and you shut her out."

The statement threw him for a moment and he stared at her in confusion before he realized she was referring to Mai. Wha…wait a minute, he thought he had read that right by not telling her about his dream…Mai _was_ his friend, what was Anzu going on about? Unless—

The pain on his ear came back and he nearly screeched. "Anzu!"

"Grow up!" she snapped, releasing him abruptly and stalking off irritably as she began muttering about the immeasurable stupidity of men (or something like that, but he was in no mood to go closer and find out).

Jounouchi stared after her mutely for one moment before saying faintly, "I think I'm going to give up trying to understand women."

He frowned as Anzu's words replayed themselves in his head and he sighed, running a hand through his hair tiredly. Maybe he should have told Mai…but he didn't want to give away that he had seen her in his dream because…because…

…Well, why else would Mai be in his dream unless he truly valued her as more than a friend?

Jounouchi winced as his ear throbbed from the treatment it had undergone as he began making his way back to the center of the blimp. He'd tell Mai about it later, he amended. Maybe after her duel—he knew better than to try and distract Mai from her duel by giving her food for thought, and she'd appreciate not having those kinds of thoughts dancing around and bothering her.

[Later Jounouchi would wish he had told Mai when he had the chance.]


	17. Perfume

_This one is set post-canon and follows the same timeline as the other post-series shots do :D_

* * *

Jounouchi wrinkled his nose in distaste as he walked into the apartment. "Mai, what is that awful smell?" he asked, looking to the woman for an explanation.

"Perfume," Mai responded irritably as she eyed a patch of carpet that was soaking wet and covered in paper towels. "Expired five year old perfume, to be precise."

The blonde teenager grimaced, pinching his nose. "And you have this expired perfume…why?" he inquired, breathing through his mouth.

"I was throwing it out but the bottle slipped out of my hand and emptied out on the carpet," explained the woman, glaring at the bottle sitting innocently on the table. "I was going through my makeup. You need to replace it every now and then."

"Awww, gross! I can _taste _it!" groaned Jounouchi, gagging. "Why would you wear such foul-smelling stuff?"

"It's certainly not mine," said Mai, affronted. "Some girl that worked with me on the cruise ship kept mistaking her makeup bag with mine because they looked the same; she wore this perfume, and I'm guessing that she put hers into my bag by accident and I simply never noticed it."

Jounouchi coughed and made another face. "Ugh. Thought you girls hated having the same accessories," he said as he went to the kitchen, pouring himself a glass of water.

Mai directed the glare she had been giving the perfume bottle at Jounouchi. "It was standard issue. All of us working on the boat had to have the same bag—Lord only knows why," she replied, wincing as the smell of the perfume began affecting her. "I'm really regretting opening that bottle to begin with."

"I _was_ going to cook you dinner," said Jounouchi, covering his mouth with his hand and staring at the puddle of perfume. "But now…I'm thinking we need to go out to dinner."

"I think you're right," said Mai, already reaching for her coat and pulling it on over her turtleneck blouse; the weather was too cold now for her general outfit and she was wearing slacks today as opposed to a skirt. "But who's going to clean this up? If I don't nail it now it'll never—"

Jounouchi walked to the pantry and pulled out a package of baking soda. "Watch and learn, young Padawan," he said cheerfully, walking to pile of paper towels and lifting them up before pouring a liberal amount of baking soda on the perfume stained patch (holding his breath all the while).

"If that doesn't take care of it, you always have the internet and the windows to crack," he said with a grin. "Now come on. If I don't get out of here I'm going to keel over dead on your carpet."

"I hope not. Disposing of the body would be rather difficult, especially if I have to explain myself to the authorities," Mai retorted, though in good humor.


	18. Quash

_This one is also post series and is set following the timeline of all the other post-series shots. Like it, hate it, want to dance about it...either way, review and let me know._

* * *

Mai blinks when a sudden knock on her door draws her out of the program she'd been watching for the past twenty minutes, frowning when she notes the time. After ten is generally when she turns away visitors, and not many people know where she lives (she suspects Yugi does but she also knows he won't visit her without express permission, nor will he divulge her whereabouts). This only can mean it's Jounouchi at her door.

She rises to her feet, shivering as the cold air hits her bare feet and wrapping her robe around her more securely; it's getting cold out now, and she needs to get more winter clothing.

Mai half grumbles to herself when another knock sounds on the door. She knows he's there, really—there's no need to keep pounding on her door. She glances through the peephole, just to be certain that it is Jounouchi and not someone else; the other day she had a tipsy couple try to get in her apartment and she'd had to redirect them back to their own home.

Her violet eyes look only for a second to absorb who's on the other side of the door and their appearance before she's fumbling for the lock and pulling the door open with urgency previously non-existent.

Jounouchi sort of totters into the room, giving her a tired smile as he makes eye contact with her (though his cheek is swollen and she can tell this is a rather taxing effort). He's clutching his left side and his hand is bleeding; his face is covered with small scratches and the like, and already there's bruises showing up on his left arm. "Hey. Sorry to come over here, but it was closer than Honda's and I honestly couldn't make it any further," he says hoarsely, trying to down play the fact he looks like he's come through a meat grinder.

Mai's not even hesitating in the slightest. She's grabbed his wrist and is dragging him toward her bathroom, sitting him down on the edge of the tub before rifling through the medicine cabinet for the first aid kit. "You need me to do anything or do you have it under control?" she asks.

Jounouchi's already lifting his shirt (not without wincing) to eye the purpling streak that's running from his hip up to torso. "Yeah…I got this," he says then brusquely, already reaching for the Ace bandage and beginning to awkwardly wrap it around the wounded area.

Mai's realized that he can't possibly do this task by himself and she begins wrapping the bandage around him, offering him a towel to put on his bleeding hand. "You want to tell me what happened?" she says quietly, glancing up at him for an answer as she winds the bandage around him.

He grunts. "Some guy at school said something 'bout you; he saw you with me the other day when we were out. I felt it necessary to beat the snot out of him and discourage his line of thinking," Jounouchi says, grimacing when Mai's hand presses too hard against his bruised ribs. "I was doing fine 'til one of his cronies got out the pipe. Then it wasn't so even."

"And you went up against them alone…why?" She can't quite keep the worry out of her voice.

"B'cause Honda had to watch his nephew and Otogi's useless in a brawl. 'Sides, the guy was saying things that aren't meant for polite conversation; it's up to me to quash his…less than healthy interest in you."

Mai shakes her head, turning her attention to his hand to hide the proud smile. Her idiot is such a gentleman, which is more than she could say about most of the other men she's interacted with before—too bad he has to punch in someone's face to get his message across instead of finding a less than violent solution, but hey. No one's perfect.

She'll settle for Jounouchi quashing the bad guy in his own way. In the meantime, though, she'll take care of his injuries for him.

(And is quash even a real word? Jounouchi tends to make these words up)


	19. Resist

_This one is set during the duel during Jounouchi and Mai during episodes 151-154 (for those who are too lazy to look it up, it's the first duel Mai has with Jounouchi during the Orichalcos saga) and it can take place at any point during it. _

_After reading (and reviewing, because reviews are the fuel for my bunnies) be sure to check out my profile!_

* * *

She's trying.

[No, wait, that's not quite emphasizing things.]

She's _really _trying.

[That's better, but still not quite it.]

Mai's desperately trying to fight her emotions, but she's certain that at any minute she's going to give out.

[There we go.]

She's so sorely tempted to just drop her guard and run across the room right now, it's not even funny. A strange and indefinable feeling has welled up inside her and is threatening to blow her apart, and this feeling is contradicting with the Orichalcos; that strange magnetism that has always pulled her to his side in an instant has suddenly returned for the first time in months, now that she's seen him in person, but the Orichalcos stone around her neck pulses and warns her of her pact with Dartz.

Why? Why has this feeling come back_ now_, of all times? She can't afford to be caught in that old net, the one that held her down and plunged her into that dark world she enters every night; the very makings of that net are standing in a small group across the room, watching her with a mixture of betrayal and grim anger.

But those looks do nothing to her.

It's that stunned, almost heartbreakingly pitiful and disbelieving expression that has plastered itself on _his_ face. It's the nameless but prominent emotion that glitters in his brown eyes, the way he's dueling her now with faltering words and hesitant moves…it's that look she's fighting to resist at the moment, because for some reason it's making her feel ashamed and it almost makes her want to tug the Orichalcos stone off her neck and toss it to the darkest corner of the room.

She returns her focus to the duel, because she can feel two pairs of blue eyes on her back and the weight of the pendant on her neck. Mai can't afford to be sentimental and she can't allow him to sway her—it'll be tough, but not impossible. She's going to resist that look staring at her from across the room and take his soul, and that's the end of that discussion.

_No, Mai. You're wrong—you're not trying to resist that look. You're trying to resist Jounouchi, and you already know that you can't do it, _whispers a small and unhappy voice in the back of her mind. _This is one battle you can't win._

Mai dutifully ignores that thought.


	20. Santa

_This one is set post-series, following the timeline of every other post-series shot. Leave reviews on the way out, and Merry Christmas (Eve)!_

* * *

Jounouchi was never going to bet against Honda ever again.

He may have had crazy luck, but it didn't always pan out and now he was stuck in this silly get-up for the duration of the evening. If only he had bet that the hero would die at the end of the movie!

He didn't mind the headband holding the antlers onto his head too much; they sat comfortably on the top of his hair and the glued on bell jingled pleasantly, and though they were tall and towering over the crowd they did not move from their perch atop his thick blonde hair. And Honda's brown leather jacket was quite warm, too; apparently, Honda had not managed to find a reindeer costume so instead he had loaned out his motorcycle jacket.

Nooo…what was really troublesome was the ostentatious and blinking red orb sitting on his nose.

The straps holding the nose on and circling around his face to loop behind his ears, coupled with the plastic crushing the tip of his real nose, made it uncomfortable to wear and even harder to breathe through; his breath misted the air around him as he waited patiently for Mai to come down out of her apartment and he tried desperately hard to ignore the stares of the late Christmas shoppers around him. What, haven't they seen a guy wearing reindeer get-up before?

The worst part of this whole thing, though, was the fact he would have to wear both the antlers and the nose all night. Part of the losing terms of the bet had been that he could not remove either of his latest accessories—which was a right pain. This nose _hurt._

"Jounouchi, I know it's Christmas Eve and all, but is that necessary? Not that I mind—it suits you quite nicely."

Jounouchi winced at Mai's voice, sheepishly grinning at the woman (clad in an ivory turtleneck and a red leather coat) as she exited the building in front of him and rubbing the back of his head. "Weeellll…yeah. I kinda lost a bet and…I hope you like having your personal Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer this evening while we go look at the downtown light display."

Mai tilted her head thoughtfully before reaching into her coat pocket and pulling out something red. A few seconds later, she had placed it on top of her head and smiled back at him. "Well it's a good thing I have this hat to match," she said cheerfully. "I owe Honda a favor. I didn't think he could come up with a way to get you into the nose, but I was mistaken."

"Wait a—you arranged that bet?" the other blonde stuttered in disbelief.

Mai merely smirked in reply. "Maybe I did, perhaps I didn't. Either way, though, you can't conclusively prove it."

Jounouchi stared at her for a moment before a wicked grin split his face and he turned his back on Mai. The woman blinked when Jounouchi pulled her arms over his shoulders and said, "All right, Santa, hold on."

Mai only had seconds to understand what was happening and managed to wrap her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist before he took off running down the street, the bells on his antlers jingling gaily. By now she was all too used to having everyone around them laugh at their antics, so she easily tuned out their laughter. "Jounouchi, slow down!" she squealed, half laughing and half terrified (she certainly didn't want to be dropped on the icy concrete).

Jounouchi only sped up, beginning to laugh madly. His steps were swift but certain—he would not be dropping her anytime soon and he showed no signs of wearing out. Mai was practically a feather at the moment (which was nice for a change, because whenever she landed on him it _hurt)._ "Can't, Santa. Lots to do on Christmas Eve, you know."

That laugh was contagious. Mai was laughing the entire time she was being carried off down the sidewalk toward the lights.


	21. Touch

_I'm borrowing my mom's computer at the moment, since my new laptop doesn't have Microsoft Word on it yet (a problem I'm hoping to rectify by January). I lost the original file for this letter and I don't remember what I had for it since I was playing with my bunnies, but they seemed to like the letter 'T' and came up with this for me._

_This one is set post-series, following the timeline of every other post-series shot. Leave reviews on the way out!_

* * *

The skin on Jounouchi's hands is dry and somewhat abrasive, she thinks vaguely as she trembles in his embrace. It's funny, because she never really noticed that, even though he's taken her hand so many times; it's not like she's ever really paid especial attention to his hands before, though.

Then again, she's an absolute emotional wreck at the moment and she's trying desperately hard to forget the vividity of the nightmare she's just come out of, so focusing on his hands—one cradling the back of her head and the other on her upper arm—is a good distraction.

She knows with half-remembered detail that they had been watching some nameless movie in her apartment; she must have dozed off, she thinks to herself. The movie must have also triggered a buried memory somewhere along the line, one that's linked to her nightmares. She realizes that she's fallen off the sofa because she can feel the carpet beneath her; that's happened before as well, though this time she doesn't seem to have hit anything on her way down.

She can't remember what this nightmare was about and that is a blessing. Normally she remembers all the details of those horrifying images with dreaded clarity and it remains that way for sometimes hours afterward; she's had nightmares before whose images had not faded for a week. She's always known and feared those images with every fiber of her being.

But this time, she cannot summon those images no matter how hard she tries.

Perhaps it's because Jounouchi has his arms wrapped around her in a protective embrace, with his voice murmuring soothing and comforting words into her hair; it's hard to focus on the horrors of the dream when she finds herself listening to the incessant stream of tranquilizing words coming from him. Her head is resting against what she suspects his chest and the sound of his heartbeat is oddly calming.

The raw emotions incurred by the nightmare are not prone to fade away just yet, and she simply can't comprehend whatever Jounouchi is saying; she's more comforted by the sound of his voice than by what he's telling her. But the fact that he's there, holding onto her and not releasing her for anything, is an anchor and she can already feel a semblance of composure returning to her.

Mai finds it oddly believable that, despite his rough and callused hands, Jounouchi has the gentlest touch of anyone she's ever met.


	22. Ukulele

_So, here come the updates. I'm going to be trying to get the rest of these letters up, because they were supposed to have been up by tonight; you'll see why once you get to the letter Z. Anyway, I only ask that you continue to review each of the updates going up._

_This one is post series again :D_

* * *

"Mai, what _is_ this thing?" Jounouchi asked curiously, lifting the small guitar off the store shelf. Mai had needed groceries for New Year's Eve and she had needed to stock up before the crowds got them all.

The woman did not even look up from the magazine she was perusing. "That's a ukulele," she said, turning the page and raising her eyebrows at the makeup ad on the page. "My uncle brought one back for my cousin from Hawaii one year when he was on vacation. My cousin hated the thing, but I thought it was cute and stole it from him when he wasn't looking," she continued with a wicked smirk.

"It's official: I'm keeping my wallet close," Jounouchi joked, putting a hand on his pocket in emphasis before his eyes drifted to a nearby store rack. A grin spread across his features and he went to the store rack. He began innocently, "Y'know, if you had a grass skirt and if you had one of them flower necklace things—"

"A _lei_, moron."

"Yeah, one of those. Anyway, if you had one of those and the skirt you could take the ukulele and do a luau."

Mai rolled her eyes but did not look up from the magazine. "You have fun with that. In the meantime, I think we need to go back to grocery shopping," she said, finally closing the magazine up and setting it in her basket. She turned to face Jounouchi, only to find he had vanished. "Jounouchi?"

The sound of a guitar's strings being strummed broke the air and Mai looked up sharply. _He wouldn't. Please tell me he wouldn't._

He would.

Jounouchi had draped the tie on grass skirt around his waist and a purple flowered _lei _around his neck, and was now strumming the ukulele expertly. His brown eyes were twinkling in amusement as he continued to play on the ukulele, ignoring the amused crowd gathering around him. "C'mon, Mai. You told me to throw a luau, and all I need is the hula girl and the suckling pig," he said.

Mai merely stared. "Where did you learn how to play the ukulele?"

Jounouchi's grin got bigger. "It's a mini-guitar. How hard is it to play?" he said, sliding over to her and taking her by the wrist. "Now come on. Do the hula with me."

Going shopping with Jounouchi was always an adventure, she decided as she began to giggle; they looked ridiculous, what with them doing the hula in the middle of a grocery store. She decided that she didn't mind doing silly things like this once in a while—as long as Jounouchi was there to help shoulder the embarrassment.


	23. Valentine

_Four Letters left!_

_Post-series, short and pointless, and leave reviews on the way out!_

_EDIT: Thanks Sara Darkotter and Wildcat for noticing the error with this chapter and letting me know. I don't know how that happened, but it did -_-_

* * *

"Where did you disappear off to after DOOM got out?"

Mai raised an eyebrow. "And hello to you too, Jounouchi," she said, sitting at the outdoor café table. "What are you asking?"

"I tried to find you in the dueling circuits, but it was like you had completely vanished. And I know you didn't stop dueling afterward. Sooo….what happened?" said Jounouchi, handing Mai's latte to her.

The blonde woman eyed her drink boredly. "Trust me Jounouchi. You wouldn't have found me."

"Well, I kept bumping into a Mai Valentine every time I searched the circuits, but other than that I didn't…hey…wait a minute."

Mai had stiffened. "What?" she asked tensely.

"That wouldn't have been you, would it?" Jounouchi said, beginning to laugh. "Mai, that wasn't…oh, holy crap it _is_! That was you!"

"Shut up!" Mai said hotly, flushing. "That was not my idea! Vivian thought it would be funny if I had a name like that for the tournament. She signed me up before I could get to the roster and I couldn't change it!"

"Remind me to send Vivian a thank you note…oh this is rich. Mai, would you be my valentine…I can't wait until Valentine's Day!"

"Use that joke on me and so help me I'll skin you alive," Mai said, scowling into her coffee.


	24. Whisper

_Three letters left!_

_This one kinda hit me, and I know that this is late, as are X Y and Z. I had a last minute babysitting gig I had to attend to, and it's a six month old; I get no internet at all while watching her, and I don't get it at all even after she's asleep (which is entirely understandable, and I definitely place Baby over FanFiction). On another note, I fixed an issue with the previous chapter, but the reviews were lost. If you reviewed it, you may want to do a take two on it :D_

_Post series again and leave reviews!_

* * *

"OUCH!"

"Shh! Not so loud, Honda. They'll hear us!"

"But come on. You stepped on my toe! And who are we spying on anyways?"

The bushes rustled again. "Ouch!"

"Sorry, Yugi. Not a lot of standing room in here."

"Honda, Yugi. For the love of God, _whisper_."

"Anzu, I really see no purpose to this at all. I don't know why you've dragged me and Yugi into a bush, but you have. Explain?"

"Because I'm curious."

"About what?"

"Honda, whisper. Anyway, I'm wondering about something and I know for a fact that they're coming through here today."

"Who's coming?"

"Yugi, you told me that Jounouchi and Mai always came back through the park to get to her apartment."

"Huh? Oh yeah, that's right, I did tell you that…wait. Anzu, are we spying on them?"

"Not really. I'm just checking on Jounouchi and making certain he's not being an idiot."

"…In other words, we're spying on them."

An impatient sigh. "Yes, Honda. We're spying on them. But if you don't start whispering I'm going to—what, Yugi?"

"They're coming over the bridge."

"What? Oh, I can see them. Both of you be quiet or they'll hear us!"

"Anzu, you're the one who's shouting."

"Shh!"

There was a brief pause and no sounds issued from the bush for several moments as the occupants of the shrubbery looked at the park bridge where the two young people were walking.

It was Yugi who broke the silence first with a soft whisper. "They seem happy—especially Mai. She's really relaxed."

Honda grunted dismissively. He'd never quite forgiven Mai for what happened in DOOM, though they had forged a temporary truce at Christmas. "Jounouchi looks pretty relaxed too. Then again, he's a laid back sorta guy."

Anzu smiled. "And it seems Jounouchi's starting to get it figured out," she said softly, her blue eyes warming at the sight of the two blondes. "Good. Now it isn't so one-sided."

Honda exchanged looks with Yugi before rolling his eyes. "Oi…girls and their mushy romance."

Anzu turned her head to glare at him. "Honda, I'm telling you for the last time: _whisper_."


	25. X Ray

_The countdown has begun :D_

_After this, there is Y and Z, and believe me you'll enjoy what I have planned for Z (I had wanted to get this up last night, but I figure New Year's Day is as close as I'm going to get for it). Until then, though, here's the letter X (thanks, Wildcat, for the idea!)_

_Post-series, but this one takes place between letters Q and S ("Quash" and "Santa" for those too lazy to go back and figure it out :D), and I hope for reviews!_

* * *

"Mai, this isn't really necessary," Jounouchi said as Mai eased her way into the other lane and into the parking lot.

"You show up on my doorstep beaten half to death, and those ribs of yours aren't healing; since you got hurt defending my honor, it's the least I can do. I'm taking you to the doctor and that's that," she replied irritably as she parked the car. "Now swallow your pride and get out of my car."

Jounouchi eased himself out of the car and looked to the woman. "Mai, I can't do this to you. I can't bank on your money; I'll have to find a way to pay you back," he began anxiously, but Mai cut him off.

"Friends are here for a reason—that's what you always tell me, anyway. This one's on the house," said the woman cheerfully. "Now, march your butt in there."

Jounouchi grumbled under his breath but complied, slipping through the glass doors and sitting in the nearest chair. He winced when the armrest brushed his injured side and put a hand to it, hunching over. "I thought these places were supposed to make you better."

"They would if you simply quit flopping around," Mai said with a sigh as she signed him in at the nurse's desk.

"I didn't flop!"

"Right," said Mai in a skeptical voice. "I believe you—not."

"But I didn't!"

"Sure you didn't. Just don't flop on the examination table or when they take X-Rays."

"X-rays? Why?" Jounouchi asked, frowning. "Isn't that expensive? Mai, I can't—"

"For Heaven's sake I told you already. I'm covering you for it this time and you're getting X-rays because I don't want you to have any broken ribs go uncared for."

"I've got health insurance with my dad, I can use that to help you out," said Jounouchi, digging in his wallet. "At least let me help you with that."

"You've helped me enough," Mai said, gently placing her hand on top of his. "Believe me, this is just the tip of the iceberg—I owe you quite a bit."

Jounouchi wasn't quite sure how he figured it out, but he knew that at that point Mai was not just referring to his bruised ribs.

[And luckily his ribs were merely bruised, as they found out later—which was good, since Mai had a few plans for Christmas that involved him being at full health.]


	26. Yearn

_This one is short but it was all my bunnies could come up with. I honestly tried everything else, but they liked this better than anything else I offered (and considering they're STILL recuperating from freaking exams, I figured I best humor them)._

_Anyway, this is post-series and follows the timeline every other shot does. Leave me reviews for this and the previous one (pretty please?)_

* * *

He'd been noticing the nameless emotion that churned in his gut every time he saw Mai, and he'd noticed that he had been thinking about this for quite some time.

He'd initially dismissed it at first, because let's face it. Mai was a beautiful woman, and he was sure that many other men before him had felt that way when their eyes locked onto her violet ones. Besides, neither of them had gotten along in Duelist Kingdom, and it had not been until Mai had given her handkerchief to him that he'd finally realized that they were friends.

In Battle City that feeling had begun to intensify, but once again he locked it away. Mai had been acting too independent and for some reason it felt that if he said it then it would not have been appropriate; the one time he had realized it was time that he told her was when Yami Marik had trapped her mind in a shadow game. Even afterward he kicked himself for not telling her after Battle City had ended, because if he had just said it then Mai would have stayed and she would not have gotten involved with Dartz.

Now he was feeling that emotion flare up since Mai's return to Domino and he was longing to tell her what that was for the first time since he'd known her. He wanted to tell her that he…that he…aw, dang it, even in his own mind he simply couldn't say that he loved her!

What Jounouchi did not know was that Mai was yearning to tell him the same thing.


	27. Zero

_I can say that this shot was the real reason I wrote this and it was actually the first one I had written for this series. I can also say that I've been dying for ages to write this one, and once you read it you'll understand why I tried to get this one up last night._

_Thanks to everyone who's followed this and to everyone who's reviewed so far. I hope that you've enjoyed this series and that you liked it :D_

_Post-series once again, following the timeline that every other timeline has, and I sincerely hope you enjoy it. I may tweak the letter "Y" later, but for now I hope you can enjoy this._

* * *

Oh come on. This wasn't so hard! He could stare Yami Marik in the eyes without flinching, he could take on a giant flying snake that ate people's souls…he'd even saved the world countless times before this and that was easy. He had faced plenty of challenges before now, but this one was a whole new level of difficult.

Why couldn't he simply tell her that he loved her?

It was his New Year's resolution! He had to do it or it would never happen! But every time Mai looked at him all his thoughts fled and he couldn't string the words that he wanted together.

It wasn't that he couldn't recover from the stutters, and it was not from indecision. It was the fact that he was…well, a little pressed for time at the moment.

"TEN!"

Mai was looking at him in confusion. "Jounouchi?" she asked uncertainly, her long blonde hair blowing slightly in the wind.

"NINE!"

Come on, what was the worst that could happen? She says no and out of fear of ruining their friendship she runs away again?

"EIGHT!"

…Okay, so that really _was_ the worst that could happen. But if he didn't tell her now he—

"SEVEN!"

—would never get the chance to tell her again because it was a now or never moment and—

"SIX!"

—Why did they have to count out loud like that? It was throwing him off. "Mai, there's somethin' I gotta tell ya."

"FIVE!"

The blonde woman looked back at him with mild consternation, gently tossing her crème colored scarf over her shoulder and wrapping the violet parka around her. "What's up?" she asked warily.

"FOUR!"

"Well, I… the truth is I…y'see—"

"THREE!"

"I wanted to tell you that…that…" He let out a frustrated whine. "Why's this so hard to do?"

"What is?"

"TWO!"

_C'mon, Jounouchi! Just spit it out! You've been planning this for weeks, just say it!_

"ONE!"

"Jounouchi?" Mai asked, moving closer out of concern.

"I..I…aw, _screw it!_"

"ZERO!"

He reached out, grabbed her by the shoulders in a gentle but firm grip, drew her close, and then kissed her just as the fireworks went off over their heads.

She stiffened in surprise, but instead of her drawing back from him and running away—as he had figured she would—Mai suddenly leaned into the kiss and he could almost hear the exasperated and affectionate (but silent) sentence that hung in the air between them: _It's about freaking time you admitted it, you stupid dork._

They both could hear the announcer yelling out, "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" but neither of them were really that interested at the moment.

They'd found something slightly more engaging than the fireworks.


End file.
